Wanna come on an adventure?
+ Ripple Effects, Human Progress, You probably just did something for the last time (#394)
📚 Thanks to the dozens of you who have already submitted their recommendation for the 2022 book club! I only had a quick glance at the submissions, but I've already seen some great recommendations, coming from (almost) all corners of the world, from 🇨🇷Costa Rica to 🇨🇦Canada to 🇵🇹Portugal to 🇮🇳India and 🇦🇺Australia. If you haven't submitted your recommendation, please do.
👓 One more thing before we get to this week's recommended links: There are now 3 collections for you — handpicked links from the archive, allowing you to immerse yourself in specific topics. Have a look.
And now, here's what I think you'll want to check out this week:
1. Who made these circles in the Sahara?
An investigation that starts with a curious discovery on Google Earth and ends with a surprise in the middle of in the Sahara desert. This 30-minute video (it feels much shorter, trust me) is great on two levels: 1. The story it tells is fascinating. 2. It takes you behind the scenes of the investigation, showing you exactly how something like this is done. Feels like you're right there, solving the riddle with them.
2. The ripple effects of Russia's war in Ukraine are changing the world
We've been hearing a lot about ripple effects of Russia's war in Ukraine. This piece does a good job of giving an overview of how and where effects are felt. I hope they'll keep updating. A few examples:
- One of Europe’s poorest countries has received the most Ukrainian refugees per capita, nearing 460,000, or almost one-sixth of Moldova’s population.
- The war’s impact on food, fertilizer and fuel costs has exacerbated the political crisis in Peru.
- In Lebanon, the cost of a basic food basket more than tripled compared to a year earlier.
3. The Last Time Always Happens Now
«You always know when you’re doing something for the first time, and you almost never know when you’re doing something for the last time.» This question really does something to you: What could be something you recently did for the last time?
David Cain